Explore The Haunting Remains Of This Alaska Gold Rush Boom Town

Alaska is dotted with boom towns that had their moment in the sun, and then faded into obscurity. No other story is quite as dramatic as the rise and fall of Council on the Seward Peninsula. When gold was discovered near Ophir Creek in 1898, Council became a glorious Gold Rush boom town. When gold was discovered in nearby Nome in 1900, it was over for Council and many of the residents followed the gold and moved away for good.

The remains of the town are rusting and slowly sinking into tundra including a train and track. Now the area is a fishing spot for Nome residents and almost no one occupies the area year-round. Explore the haunting remains of the boom town Council.

Council had 15,000 people at the height of popularity from 1898 to 1900. Then most residents moved to Nome 72 miles away to mine the next gold strike. Nome replaced Council as the Seward Peninsula boom town.